The Triforce Guardian
by art1st4786
Summary: A mysterious woman claiming to be a messenger of the Gods is searching for the The Triforce Guardian. When she reveals that Link is that chosen one, Zelda, Ganson, the king, and even Ganondorf must work together once more to help Link control his new pow
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda or any of its characters. Nintendo does. Ganson, Largen, Darrel, Aloraura, and Ventra are my own character. Do not use them without my permission. This story takes place after Unexpected Allies, which comes after Misinterpreted Dream. Read those two stories first before you read this one to understand it.

Chapter 1

A year had passed since the demise of Majora. Hyrule had finally recovered from his attack. Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle Town Market had been rebuilt. Hyrule's army had been restored. The Gerudos and Hyrule were finally able to sign their peace treaty thanks to Ganson being the new leader.

It was getting close to Link's twentieth birthday, and everyone in the castle was working on getting his surprise party ready. They sent Link on a bunch of wild goose chases mainly to get him out of the castle while they prepared. Finally, Link's birthday had arrived. Link was lying on his bed in his room early that evening, staring up at the ceiling. He looked over at his door once he heard a knock at it.

"It's open," he called out. The door opened and in came Princess Zelda, dressed in a very elegant, halter-topped, lavender dress with small diamonds decorating the collar. Link quickly stood up, looking at her. "Wow. You look beautiful."

"Thank you. Dinner's almost ready," explained Zelda. "We have a special guest with us tonight, so you need to dress your best." Link nodded.

"I'll be down in a few minutes." Zelda smiled, then walked downstairs, shutting the door behind her. Link immediately went over to his closet and looked through it to find something to wear. Ever since the first run-in with Ganondorf two years ago, Link has lived in the castle by the king's orders, partly so he can help Hyrule easier, and partly for his own protection, which irritated Link a bit. He pulled out a nice, royal blue tunic with gold embroidery on the sleeves, collar, and bottom part of the tunic. He changed into that, a white, long-sleeved shirt, white pants, and his nicer pair of boots. He combed his shoulder-length blonde hair and pulled it back into a neat, low ponytail. He checked himself over one last time, then headed downstairs. When he opened the door to the dining room, it was pitch dark inside. He took a few steps inside, his heart racing a little bit. The door suddenly shut behind him, startling him a bit as he looked back. He then looked forward again. At that moment, all of the lights came on and a bunch of people jumped out from hiding places.

"SURPRISE! Happy Birthday, Link!" everyone shouted. Link blinked a few times in surprise, then started laughing. Zelda, the sages, and the king went over to Link and they exchanged hugs.

"Wow, you guys," started Link. "I wasn't expecting this at all. I've been so busy, I completely forgot it was my birthday."

"You're not celebrating your birthday without me, Little Brother," spoke a voice from behind. Link turned around as a big smile formed on his face. There stood his older half brother, Ganson. The two brothers hugged each other. "Happy Birthday, Link."

"Thanks, everyone."

After everyone ate dinner, had cake, and watched Link open his presents, Link, Zelda, Ganson, and the king went for a walk in the courtyard, talking to each other. They soon came to a stop in the garden once they saw a mysterious figure in a white cloak standing in front of the window that looked into the throne room. The cloaked figure turned around and pulled its off, revealing a beautiful, pale woman with white hair and silver eyes. Her body seemed to have a bit of a soft, white aura around it.

"Who are you?" shouted the king.

"I am Aloraura, a messenger of the Goddesses of Hyrule," spoke the woman softly.

"Why are you here?" asked Link.

"I have been sent by the Goddesses to find The One, the Triforce Guardian." Link, Ganson, and the king got surprised looks on their faces from her statement. They remembered what their old enemy, Princess Ventra, had said about "The One," how the king and his brother, Darrel, would reunite with swords to fight for "The One's" life.

"The Triforce Guardian?" asked Ganson. Aloraura nodded, then held a hand out towards the group. She charged up a golden blast, then sent it at the group. It hit Link with full force and sent him flying back about ten feet, shouting out in pain. He landed on his back and skidded on the ground a few more feet, unconscious.

"Link!" shouted everyone in unison as they rushed over to the unconscious hero, kneeling next to him. The king propped Link up into a sitting position, letting him rest in his arms. Zelda blinked as she saw something glowing on his forehead. She gently pulled his bangs out of the way and her eyes widened once she saw the symbol of the Triforce on his forehead, with all three triangles glowing.

"The Triforce Guardian has become of age, and the Goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore have decided to awaken the powers inside of him," explained Aloraura.

"Why Link, though?" asked Zelda.

"He was chosen by fate to defend the land of Hyrule. He was also chosen by the Goddesses once he achieved the title Hero of Time to be called the Triforce Guardian, in regards to the multiple attempts by evil ones to obtain all three pieces of the Triforce. The only way for evil ones to get the Triforce is to take the life of The One."

"Why would the Goddesses of Hyrule put the Hero of Time in further danger?" roared Ganson, glaring at the woman.

"He has proven that he can protect the Triforce. He is the only one capable of doing this job. These new powers will help protect his life force. He must keep his guard up, however, for many evil ones will be after his life in order to obtain the Triforce. I must leave now. Take care." And with those words, Aloraura disappeared into the Heavens. Ganson, Zelda, and the king looked at each other, then at the unconscious Link, whose Triforce symbol on his forehead had just disappeared. Link stirred slightly, then slowly opened his eyes.

"Ugh, what happened?" asked Link groggily. "And where's that woman?"

"She disappeared," spoke Zelda. "She…Link, there's something we need to tell you."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Zelda, Ganson, and the king brought Link into the throne room. They had Link sit down in the throne as they explained everything to him. The sages, who were present at the party, sat attentively and listened, a little in shock, as well as Link. After the king finished explaining everything, and after a few moments of silence, Link finally spoke up.

"So basically more evil beings are going to be after my life if they want the Triforce?" he asked. The king nodded solemnly.

"I'm afraid so," the king sighed. "We will do all that is in our power to make sure that you are safe, and—"

"Your Majesty, please." The king blinked. "Look, I appreciate everything that you've done for me, and the protection you've been giving me the past two years, but I can take care of myself. I mean, I've defeated countless monsters that were after my life as a child. I survived the mental and physical torture of not only Ganondorf, but Majora as well. I think I'm going to be okay."

"You have been getting rather careless the past few years though, Link," interrupted Nabooru, crossing her arms. Link lowered his eyes. Link then felt someone hug him tightly and lovingly. At first he thought it was Zelda, then he looked over to his right and did a double take, looking at Ruto.

"I'll protect my fiancée with my life!" announced Ruto.

"Uh, Ruto? I can't breathe. Can you let go?" asked Link. Ruto then let go and blushed.

"Sorry."

"Link, we're all just worried about you, that's all," explained Zelda. "You mean a lot to us, and to all of Hyrule. If something should happen to you, everyone would be devastated."

"You've all helped us out on numerous occasions, Brother," stated Darunia. "Now it's our turn to help you when you need it, if you'd just let us."

"Please, Link," pleased Saria, looking up at him. "Please let us help you." Link looked around at all of his friends, frowning slightly. He then sighed, giving in.

"Okay. If I need help, I'll let you all know," replied Link. Everyone smiled, knowing they could help their friend. After the rigorous talk of Link's well-being, the subject changed and the party continued.

Later on that night, Link stood in front of his open window in his room, in the same outfit he went to his surprise party in. The only light in the room was the moonlight shining in through the window. He rested his arms on the windowsill, leaned on them, and stared up at the stars in the sky, deep in thought. So many thoughts were going through his head, like about him being the Triforce Guardian, and how his friends reacted. His ears twitched a little once he heard a knock at his door. He didn't even bother looking back at it.

"It's open," he called out. He heard the door open, then a few footsteps entering the room, then the door close again. The person who came in walked over to Link and stood next to him, leaning his arms on the windowsill as well, looking up at the night sky. Link looked up at the person and was comforted by the presence of his older brother, Ganson.

"Nice night out, isn't it?" asked Ganson.

"Yeah. I haven't seen a clear night like this in ages."

"With all of the summer storms and everything. It's not even muggy outside."

"Why did you come up here to see me?" Ganson looked down at Link, dug through his pocket, then took out a small gift box, holding it out to Link.

"I brought you this. Happy Birthday, Link." Link looked at the small box, took it, then unwrapped it.

"Wow, a box! Thanks!" The two then laughed.

"Yeah, I got you a box for your birthday. The gift's inside of it, Dummy." Once Link stopped laughing, he opened up the box, then looked at the contents of it in awe. Inside was a gold Triforce pendant attached to a silver chain. Link took it out of the box and let it rest in his hand as he looked at it, then up at Ganson. "That pendant originally belonged to our mother. I kept playing with it when I was a toddler when I wasn't supposed to until one day, she gave it to me. I never wear it, so I thought you'd like to have it. Ironically enough, it's appropriate for the occasion."

"Thanks, Ganson," replied Link, putting the necklace on. "Do you know where she got this? It looks like something the Royal Family would have." Ganson then frowned.

"I'm…not sure."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Link woke up bright and early the next morning. He got dressed in his usual outfit and headed downstairs. After getting some breakfast from the kitchen, he made his way into the throne room. There, he saw the king, Zelda, Impa, and Ganson speaking with each other. Once he found a good break in the conversation, he made his way in.

"Good morning, everyone," greeted Link. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything." The king smiled.

"Of course not, my boy," laughed the king. "Did you sleep okay? You look a little tired."

"I had a little trouble getting to sleep. I had a lot on my mind, with everything that happened yesterday."

"That's understandable." The king then looked at the pendant around his neck. His smile faded. "Where did you get that?"

"This?" Link looked down at the pendant and took it into his hand. "Ganson gave it to me last night. He said that it belonged to my mother originally, then she gave it to him, and he gave it to me."

"Brenda…" Impa frowned.

"Is everything all right, Your Majesty?" she asked.

"Yes. I was just remembering my younger days."

"You knew our mother?" asked Ganson.

"I was the one who gave her that necklace. She was a dear friend of mine, along with your father, Link. He eventually became the Captain of the Guard." Link smiled. "Brenda, Darrel, Paolo, and I grew up in the castle together. When your mother and father got engaged, I had that made for her as a wedding present."

"So this originally came from you?" asked Link. The king nodded. Impa then grinned, looking at the king.

"So that's why you've practically taken Link and Ganson in as sons," she replied. The king nodded again, smiling.

"I'll admit, I did love Brenda in our younger days, but that love faded when she and Paolo got engaged. I was still very happy for them, though. Just seeing her happy made me happy. Darrel loved her, too, but, again, that love faded as well."

"I guess there was a bit of a love square going on there, Father," giggled Zelda. Everyone laughed. "So how did you meet Mother?" The king smiled.

"It was about three years after Brenda and Paolo got married. Your mother and grandfather came to the castle for a diplomatic visit. When we saw each other, we both knew that we were meant for each other.

"Love at first sight, Your Majesty," spoke Ganson. "I know how that fe—I mean, it must be a wonderful feeling, huh?"

"Got a love of your own there, lad?" asked another voice. Everyone looked over at the doors to the throne room and there stood a tall, old man, though younger looking than the king. He was bald with the exception for his long, gray hair on the back and sides of his head that stretched down to just past his waist. He wore royal blue robes with gold trim, and a gold and royal blue monk-like cap with amethyst jewels adorned on the gold trim. The cap covered up most of his baldness. Despite his age, he had beautiful deep-blue eyes, just like the king. The king immediately stood up once he set eyes on the man, a shocked look on his face.

"Darrel? Is that you?" asked the king, still shocked.

"Aye, that it is, Ferdinand," grinned Darrel. Ganson and Link took a defensive step backwards simultaneously. Darrel laughed. "There's no need to be afraid of me, boys. I've only come to visit my family. I haven't seen them in so long, nor have I met my beautiful niece, Zelda."

"Why did you leave, Darrel?" asked the king, taking a few steps towards Darrel. Darrel frowned.

"Once you got married, I felt that I would only get in the way of your leadership, so I decided to leave. I'm sorry I didn't say good-bye or anything. I didn't mean to worry you all like I did."

"Where have you been, though?"

"I've been traveling, like I've always wanted to do." The king smiled.

"So you fulfilled your dream of seeing the world?"

"Just about." The two walked towards each other, then embraced.

"Welcome home, Darrel."

"It's good to be home, Ferdinand. Is my old room still here?"

"Of course. Do you remember where it is?"

"Freddy, I may be old, but my memory still stands firm." The two laughed, walking out of the room together. Ganson smiled.

"Maybe Ventra meant that the two will be fighting together instead of against each other. It looks like we have another ally, Link." Link smiled.

"I think you're right."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Darrel spent the next week catching up on old times with his brother, the king, and getting to know more about his niece, Zelda. He got reacquainted with some of his old friends that still lived in the castle.

Link and Ganson were sitting in the courtyard, talking to each other when Darrel stepped in, looking at the two.

"Am I interrupting anything, lads?" asked Darrel. Link and Ganson shook their heads.

"We were just finishing up," replied Ganson. Darrel nodded, then looked at Link, most notably his pendant.

"That's a nice pendant there, lad. Where did you get it?"

"Oh, my brother gave it to me," answered Link. "It used to be our mother's." Darrel blinked in surprise.

"You're Brenda and Paolo's kids?" Link nodded, but Ganson frowned.

"Actually, Paolo's not my biological father," explained Ganson. "Ganondorf is." Darrel frowned.

"I see. Well, the important thing is that you two are brothers." Link and Ganson nodded. "What are your names?"

"Ganson, and this is my younger brother, Link." Darrel grinned slightly.

"Link, as in the Hero of Time?"

"That's me," answered Link.

"I've heard much about you and your victories." Ganson gets Link into a headlock and gives him a noogie, grinning.

"You have a new fan, little brother," laughed Ganson. Link laughed, trying to get out of the headlock.

"H-Hey, cut it out, Ganson!" shouted Link. He then started tickling Ganson's side with one of his hand, causing Ganson to loosen his grip and laugh louder. Darrel laughed at the two brothers as they played. The two let go of each other and calmed down their laughing, as did Darrel. Just then, Sir Largen, the Captain of the Guard, walked into the courtyard. He stood there and saluted. He had long, dark brown hair that was pulled back into a low ponytail, light brown eyes, and thick muscles. He wore an olive green tunic with gold trim around the top, light gray shirt, dark gray leggings, and brown boots like Link's.

"Your Highness," started Largen, "It's time for your meeting." Darrel nodded, then looked at the two brothers. "It was nice talking to you, lads. I look forward to our next visit." He grinned, bowed slightly, then walks out of the courtyard with Largen. The two stepped into the conference room and shut the door, looking around. They were alone. "When are you going to go through with your surprise?"

"Tonight. Remember the plan?"

"Yes."

"Good. Be upstairs around ten tonight…my son."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Link, Ganson, Zelda, Impa, Darrel, and the king ate dinner together that night and chatted about random things, like Darrel's travels, Link's past adventures, and what's been going on at the Gerudo Fortress. Towards the end of dinner, Darrel finally asked Ganson a question.

"So you and Link were separated during the war twenty years ago, am I right?" asked Darrel. Ganson frowned.

"Yes, we were," replied Ganson."

"And you come back seventeen years later and try to kill him? That's not like a brother."

"I was under Ganondorf's control! And how did you find that out?" Ganson slammed his hands on the table and stood up, glaring at Darrel.

"It's common knowledge around the castle, Lad." Ganson lunged at Darrel, but Link quickly caught him and held him back, Ganson struggling in his arms. Darrel laughed. "You're acting more like your father."

"How dare you! I am NOTHING like my father!" Ganson finally broke free of Link's hold and stormed out of the dining hall. Link looked at everyone, excused himself, then rushed out of the room after Ganson. The king, Zelda, and Impa shot a glare at Darrel, got up, then followed Link.

Ganson was sitting on his bed, his back towards the door, resting his hands on his arms and staring at the ground. He heard a knock on his doorframe, then looked over his shoulder. There stood Link, looking at Ganson worriedly. Ganson went back to looking at the ground. Link walked over to Ganson and sat next to him, putting an arm around his shoulder.

"Ganson, don't listen to Prince Darrel," spoke Link. "I know and you know that you are nothing like your father. Just remember who you are, and that's all that matters." Ganson, frowned.

"I didn't want anyone else to know about what happened," sighed Ganson. "Those days still haunt me. I feel so ashamed for what I did…" Link frowned, then pulled Ganson into a comforting hug, rocking him back and forth gently, letting his older brother sob into his shoulder.

"It's in the past. We've all made mistakes, and we're all ashamed of something. But we can't let that affect how we live now. And we all forgive you for your past actions, especially me. Everything's going to be okay, Ganson." The two brothers stayed like that for about ten minutes, Ganson crying in Link's comforting embrace. Afterwards, Ganson finally calmed down and looked up at Link, wiping his eyes and smiling slightly.

"Thanks, Link…" Link smiled back and nodded.

"Hey, anything for my brother. Besides, you'd do the same for me, right?"

"Of course." The two hugged again, then Link stood up.

"Are you okay now?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm turning in, though. I'm really tired." Link nodded.

"I'll let you sleep then. I'll see you in the morning. Don't be afraid to wake me up if you need me." Ganson nodded.

"Okay." Link then left the room, shutting the door behind him. He went to his room down the hall and shut the door behind him. He walked over to his window and looked out it. Once again, the only light in the room came from the light of the moon. It was a half moon, so not a whole lot of light got in. As he turned around to light a candle, his door opened. There stood Sir Largen.

"Sir Link," started Largen, "The king requests your audience." Link nodded, then walked to the door. Before he could get to it, Largen shut the door with him standing in front of it, grinning. "The true king, that is."

"What the he—"was all Link could get out before someone grabbed him from behind and clamped a hand tightly over his mouth. Link let out a few muffled protests as he struggled before Largen drew his sword and pointed it at Link's throat.

"Largen," spoke the figure. "Just tie him up. I'll make sure he doesn't call out for help." Link's eyes widened a bit once he recognized the voice. It was Darrel. Largen put away his sword, took out some ropes and walked over to Link. Darrel moved to the side as Largen grabbed Link's wrists and tied them behind his back. "You should have stayed with your brother tonight, Link Hyla. I know of your secret…Triforce Guardian." Link struggled harder, letting out more muffled cries, hoping someone in the hallway would hear him. Darrel laughed at Link's futile efforts. Once Largen was finished tying Link up, he took out a piece of cloth. Darrel removed his hand and Largen quickly tied it around Link's mouth, gagging him.

"I was right about before, Link," taunted Largen. "You have grown weak. And once my father gets the Triforce, he'll claim his rightful place as the King of Hyrule instead of my uncle." Link looked at Largen a little wide-eyed. Largen grinned and cupped Link's chin in his hand and pulled his head a few inches closer to Largen's face. "And you're the key to our success."

"Let's go, Largen," commanded Darrel. Largen nodded and threw Link over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Darrel chanted and started performing a teleportation spell. Before the three disappeared, Link managed to kick over his lamp, letting it shatter loudly on the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ganson quickly sat up in bed once he heard what sounded like glass shattering down the hall. He felt his stomach starting to tie in knots and felt chills going down his back.

"Something's not right," he spoke to himself, barely above a whisper. "I'd better go see what that was." He quickly got out of bed and went out his door, wearing nothing except a pair of pants. He ran down the hallway to Link's room. "I should see if he's okay." The sick feeling in his stomach began to get worse. He knew something had happened. He opened the door and looked into Link's room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for the broken lamp on the ground. Ganson took a few steps backwards, then ran downstairs as fast as he could. He made his way into the throne room where the king sat in his throne, speaking with Impa. The two looked at Ganson as he stopped in the doorway to catch his breath.

"Ganson, what's wrong?" asked Impa.

"I heard glass shattering down the hallway, and when I looked in Link's room, I found a broken lamp on the ground, but no Link!" The king and Impa's eyes widened once they got the news. The king quickly stood up and walked over to Ganson, putting his hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"Did you find anything else out of the ordinary in the room?" asked the king. Ganson just shook his head. Just then, Sir Largen ran into the throne room, a little short of breath himself.

"Your Majesty!" he cried out. "Your brother, Prince Darrel, has kidnapped Link! I chased after him, but he got away! He left behind this note, though!" The king held his hand out toward Largen as the note was placed in his hand. The king opened it up and read it aloud.

"_To my brother,_

_I have taken your precious Hero of Time, or should I say 'Triforce Guardian?' If you want to see him again, you will surrender the throne to me. Otherwise, I'll make full use of his new found title and take the throne from you by force. You have forty-eight hours to pack up and leave._

_-Darrel."_

Impa and Ganson stared at the king wide-eyed while the king stared at the letter with the same expression. His face then grew serious as he looked at Largen.

"Largen, I want you to conduct a country-wide search for Link! I want him found and returned safely!" Largen saluted.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Largen then bowed and quickly left the room. The king walked back to his throne, sank down into it, and sighed.

"I should have listened to my instincts."

"We all should have," stated Impa. "Darrel deceived us all. And now we're paying the price."

"More like Link is." Ganson thought for a moment, then got a determined look on his face.

"I have an idea. I'll be back in a few hours." Ganson then ran out of the room, leaving a confused king and Impa behind.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ganson threw some clothes on and quickly made his way to the Temple of Time. Once he was there, he walked toward the Pedestal of Time where the Master Sword once presided. He closed his eyes and chanted in the old Hylian tongue. He was then transported to the Chamber of the Sages. Once he arrived there and opened his eyes, he looked at Rauru, who stood there in front of him.

"Ganson, I'm surprised to see you here," spoke Rauru. "You look distressed. What's the matter?"

"Prince Darrel kidnapped Link," explained Ganson. Rauru's eyes widened a little in surprise. "I need to call in a favor to you."

"Anything."

"I need you to summon my father." Rauru stared at Ganson like he had grown another head.

"Why do you want me to summon him?"

"I know this sounds farfetched, but I think he can help us. Majora was able to tap into your powers to release Ganondorf the last time, and used your powers to make it so that if Ganondorf committed one act of evil, he'd be sent back to the Sacred Realm instantly. If you can do it again, and we explain to him what's going on, I know he'll help us."

"It's too dangerous, Ganson." Ganson frowned, then decided to resort to something he remembered using when he was a little kid. He lowered his head. Rauru put a hand on Ganson's arm (since he couldn't reach his shoulder due to Ganson's height) and looked at him. Ganson lifted his head a little bit so he was looking at Rauru, giving him the sad puppy-dog look. Rauru gave him a look. "You're twenty-five-years-old, and you're _still _using that child's trick?" Rauru stared at him, then sighed. "Gets me all the time, no matter who does it. All right, I'll do it."

"Thanks, Rauru." Ganson smiled.

"You'll meet him out in Hyrule Field in fifteen minutes outside the front gate." Ganson nodded, then exited the Chamber of the Sages. Once he was back in the Temple of Time, he quickly made his way out to the field, waiting patiently where he was told. After waiting for about twenty minutes, he saw a portal open up as Ganondorf stepped out of it. He looked at Ganson and grinned.

"Once again, I have you to thank for freeing me, my son," snickered Ganondorf. Ganson gave him a warning glare.

"Watch it, Dad," threatened Ganson. "You've heard about the Triforce Guardian, right?"

"Yes. I've been meaning to get my hands on this Triforce Guardian for a while."

"Yeah, well, Link's the Triforce Guardian, and he's been kidnapped by the king's brother, Prince Darrel."

"Great, another person taking my job. Okay, I'll find Link and take out Darnel."

"Darrel."

"Whatever. His name won't matter anymore once I'm through with him. By the way…why did you choose me to rescue Link?"

"Because you can sense where the Triforce pieces are, and we're not about to put Princess Zelda in danger with this mission."

"I see…consider it done. But…what's in it for me?" Ganson sighed.

"Free access through Gerudo Fortress once more." Ganondorf thought for a moment, then extended a hand out to his son.

"It's a deal." Ganson took Ganondorf's hand and was about to shake it, but Ganondorf pulled Ganson towards him and looked him in the eyes. Ganson looked up at him, a little confused. Ganondorf grinned. "You're becoming more like me everyday. I knew you'd live up to my standards." Ganondorf laughed, then pushed Ganson away, knocking him down onto his butt. He then chanted, then disappeared in a flash of dark magic. Ganson got up and stared at the spot where Ganondorf once stood, a frown on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ganondorf appeared outside of the Shadow Temple. He scowled, looking at it.

"So the old man chose this place to hide the Hero…why didn't Impa sense them?" Ganondorf took a few steps forward and felt like he was going through some sort of barrier. "That's why. So, he put up a barrier to hide their presence, even in a temple of one of the sages. Ah, you're clever, but you're no match for the great King of Evil." Ganondorf then made his way into the temple. "Hmm…if I were an evil mastermind, where would I keep my hostage? Oh, that's right…I am an evil mastermind. The boss's room, of course." He then started walking further. He barely made it into the room with the skull totem polls when he heard loud banging coming from a room, followed by some frustrated, muffled yells. Ganondorf slowly made his way to the door and looked through its bars. He found Link still tied up and gagged, trying to ram the door down with his shoulder. Inside the room, he also found a Dead Hand, creeping along, making his way towards Link, its many hands reaching out towards him. Ganondorf sighed and shook his head. He tried opening the door, but it was locked. He took out a lock pick and picked the lock, opening the door. Link looked at Ganondorf and did a double take. Ganondorf eyed one of Dead Hand's hands about to grab Link. He dove towards Link, grabbed him in his arms, then landed on the ground, both men skidding on their shoulders. Ganondorf pulled the gag off of Link.

"Ganondorf, what are you doing here?" asked Link, a bit startled. "I thought you were sent back to the Sacred Realm!"

"Your brother sent me to get you out of here, so that's what I'm going to do." Link blinked, then smiled. "However, in order to pull this off, I will have to keep you tied up." Before Link could say something in protest, Ganondorf tied the gag on Link again, thoroughly annoying the Hero of Time. Ganondorf then got up, then picked Link up, lugging him over his shoulder. He then faced the Dead Hand and grinned. He held a hand out and send a large blast of dark magic at the monster, killing it instantly. Just as Ganondorf was about to leave the room with Link in tow, he stopped to see two new faces blocking the doorway.

"Ah, you must be Ganondorf Dragmire," chuckled Darrel. "I'm sorry, but you won't be taking the Triforce anytime soon from that boy. That would be my job." Ganondorf's eye twitched.

"First off, I came here first. Secondly, I have the boy, so I'll just be on my way now."

"That won't be happening anytime soon, Ganondorf," shouted Largen. He drew his sword and charged at Ganondorf. Ganondorf jumped out of the way, keeping a firm hold of Link. He held a hand out and blasted Largen with dark magic. The blast slammed into Largen's chest and sent him flying towards the back wall, crying out in pain. Darrel quickly made his way to Largen to help him up, which gave Ganondorf ample time to escape with Link. Darrel growled, then shouted at the top of his lungs.

"The Triforce shall be mine, no matter what!"

Ganondorf arrived in the Sacred Forest Meadow with Link, then dropped him down against the tree next to the entrance. Ganondorf then looked at the tied up hero and contemplated.

"Ganson only wanted me to free you. He never said anything about letting you go. I could get the Triforce this way," Ganondorf chuckled. His chuckling stopped once reality hit him. "Curses! I can't commit any evil acts, or else I go back to the Sacred Realm! Oh well. Good-bye, 'Hero.'" Ganondorf laughed as he disappeared. Link struggled to get the ropes off of his wrists, but gave up, realizing how tight they were, and noting the fact that he was unarmed at the moment. He closed his eyes and concentrated, opening up a telepathic link with on of his best friends.

"_Saria, can you hear me?"_ he asked. _"It's me, Link."_

"_Link? Oh, thank the Goddesses that you're alive!"_ cried Saria. _"Are you okay? Where are you?"_

"_The Sacred Forest Meadow, and I'm a bit tied up at the moment…literally."_

"_Hang in there, I'm on my way!"_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Saria opened her eyes after getting the telepathic message from Link. She teleported out of the Chamber of the Sages and into the throne room of the castle, facing the king, Zelda, and Ganson. The three blinked and looked at her.

"Is something wrong?" asked Zelda.

"Link contacted me telepathically," replied Saria. "He's tied up in the Sacred Forest Meadow."

"Let's go then," exclaimed Ganson. Zelda then closed her eyes, and changed into Sheik. Sheik then opened his eyes, and nodded at Ganson and Saria. The king then stood up.

"I shall accompany you," he spoke. Sheik shook his head.

"No. We need you here. If we're both gone, the throne is prone to it being taken over by Uncle Darrel. I'll have Impa and the other Sages stay here with you." The king frowned, then sighed and sat back down in his throne.

"Very well. Just be careful, and bring him back." The three nodded to him.

"I need you both to take my hand. I will teleport us to the Meadow," explained Saria. Sheik and Ganson nodded, then took her hands. Saria closed her eyes and focused. A green, sparkling aura surrounded the three. A bright flash of green light appeared and engulfed the three. When the light faded, the three were gone. They then arrived at the Sacred Forest Meadow. Once they spotted Link bound and gagged against the tree, they quickly rushed over to him. Sheik started to untie him as Saria took off the gag.

"Boy, am I glad to see you guys," spoke Link, smiling a little.

"Are you all right?" asked Ganson.

"I'm fine." Sheik finished getting the ropes off of Link's wrists. "Ganondorf saved me."

"Ganondorf saved you?" exclaimed Saria in shock. Link nodded. Ganson then cleared his throat.

"I had Rauru release Ganondorf so he could rescue you," explained Ganson. "Since Ganondorf can also sense the Triforce pieces, I thought he'd be perfect for the job." He then turned to Sheik. "I know you can, too, but I didn't want to put you in danger. You're the heir to the throne, and if something should happen to you, then Hyrule's in for a world of trouble." Sheik nodded slowly.

"Largen's a traitor," butted in Link. The three quickly looked at Link in shock. "He helped Darrel kidnap me. He's also Darrel's son." Sheik was especially shocked.

"Largen's my cousin?" he shouted. Link nodded slightly. Once he got over his shock, Ganson held a hand out to help Link up. Link took the hand. Ganson started pulling Link up, but then Link let go about halfway and cried out in pain, gripping his right shoulder. Ganson quickly knelt next to his brother, carefully removed Link's hand, then checked his shoulder.

"You're injured," said Ganson, frowning. "How did you get hurt?"

"I tried ramming down the door to the room I was being held in with my shoulder. I was stuck in the room with a Dead Hand in the Shadow Temple," explained Link.

"Why couldn't Impa sense you then if you were in her temple?"

"Darrel's a sorcerer. He put a barrier up around the place to hide our energy."

"We'd better get you back to the castle and have your arm examined." Ganson then helped Link up with Link's good arm. Link staggered a little bit, but Ganson held him steady. "Everything else okay?"

"Other than the fact that I haven't eaten anything in two days, everything's fine." Ganson put Link's good arm around his shoulders as he put his other hand around Link's waist, helping him stand.

"Saria, take us back to the castle." Saria nodded, took Sheik and Link's hands, then started to concentrate, the same sparkly green glow forming around the four. A bright, green light engulfs the four, then disappears, the four nowhere in sight once again. The four appear in front of the king and the other Sages in the throne room. The king stands up and quickly walks over to the four.

"Thank Din you're alive, Link," exclaimed the king, placing his hands on Link's shoulders. Link winces, cringing his teeth. The king quickly let go once he saw Link's pain.

"Link injured himself trying to escape," explained Ganson. Once Sheik changed back into Zelda, she walked over to Link and gently placed a hand on his injured shoulder. She closed her eyes and concentrated. After about a half a minute of concentration, nothing happened. She opened her eyes and blinked. She removed her hand from Link's shoulder and looked at it.

"My healing magic doesn't work," breathed Zelda, shocked. Impa frowned, then regained her composure.

"Take him to the infirmary. He'll be treated there," ordered Impa. Ganson nodded and helped Link to the infirmary. Zelda, once she got over her shock, faced her father.

"Largen's a traitor, Father," spoke the princess. The king stared at her in disbelief. "Link said he assisted Uncle Darrel in kidnapping him, and that Largen is also Uncle Darrel's son." The king's eyes widened in shock, as did Impa's. The king clenched his fists, then turned to the guards.

"Guards, I want you to arrest Sir Largen and throw him into the dungeon immediately!" roared the king. The guards, a bit shocked, nodded, then rushed out of the room. The king sank into his throne, then sighed, frowning.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ganson waited nervously outside of the closed infirmary door, pacing back and forth. Link had been in there for an hour, and he was starting to get worried. With all of his nervousness, he didn't even hear the footsteps behind him. He jumped a bit when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly turned around, then quickly calmed down when he saw the owner of the hand.

"Nabooru, you startled me," Ganson sighed. Nabooru smirked.

"Sorry," she spoke. "So, how's your knuckleheaded brother?"

"I don't know. He's been in there for over an hour and nobody's come out yet. I'm getting worried. What if they found something else wrong with him?" Nabooru put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"Ganson, calm down. He's fine. He just injured his arm, that's all."

"He wasn't fed or given water in two days! A person dies after three or four days with no water!" Nabooru then started shaking him a bit.

"You're the king of the Gerudos! You shouldn't be acting like this!"

"I'm a brother first!" Nabooru blinked at him, then slowly let go of his shoulders.

"I'm sorry." Ganson frowned, then took her hand. Nabooru blinked in surprise again, then looked up at him.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you, Nabooru." The two looked at each other silently for a few moments before the door opened. The doctor looked at the two Gerudos and removed his glasses. The two looked at him, then at their hands. They quickly let go of each other. "Nothing happened. Anyway, how is he?"

"Well, he's dislocated his shoulder," explained the doctor. "We reset it and his arm's in a sling. He'll be fine in a week. He's not eating as much as he normally does, but that's normal for someone who's been without food for a few days. He's going to be fine." Ganson and Nabooru sighed in relief.

"So why did it take an hour to establish all of that?" asked Nabooru. The doctor frowned.

"I found something strange on his neck. I don't know what it is, but I can't remove it with the tools that I have. It looks like only magic can remove it. I suggest you wait until he's asleep to remove it." Ganson frowned worriedly, then nodded.

"I'll talk to Zelda. Maybe she can remove it," replied Ganson. "Can I see my brother now?"

"He'll come out and see you in a few minutes once he gets dressed." Ganson nodded, then watched the doctor go back into the infirmary. Ganson frowned.

"This is going to be harder than I thought." Nabooru looked at him, confused.

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Link's a light sleeper. The slightest noise wakes him up. How are we going to get that thing off of him the way he sleeps?" Nabooru thought for a moment, then smirked.

"I've got an idea." Before Nabooru could open her mouth again to explain, Link walked out of the infirmary, his right arm in a sling. Ganson smiled.

"How are you feeling, Link?" Link smiled.

"I'm fine. My arm's sore, but it's fine." Ganson nodded, then Nabooru cleared her throat.

"I'm going to leave you two be," she stated. "I'm going to go see what's for dinner. I'm starving. Bye." She then quickly walked off and walked towards the kitchen. Link looked around nervously, then looked at Ganson.

"Hey, Ganson? Do you think you could do something for me?" Ganson looked at Link worriedly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Link frowned.

"Darrel's after me, I know it. He seems to find a way to catch me off guard, then strikes. I…I don't feel comfortable sleeping. I'm worried he might come while I sleep." Before Link could continue, Ganson put a hand on Link's good shoulder and smiled at him.

"Why don't you stay in my room with me until we take care of Darrel?" Link smiled, then hugged him with his good arm.

"Thanks, Bro."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Link, Ganson, Nabooru, Zelda, Impa, and the king sat in the dining hall for dinner. Dinner for the most part was pretty quiet. Nabooru then decided to break the silence.

"Ganson, how did you get Ganondorf to help?" she asked. Ganson sighed.

"I had Rauru free him, since he knows a spell that can keep Ganondorf from doing evil deeds while outside of the Sacred Realm."

"I know Ganondorf better than anybody. I was his first in command. He wouldn't agree unless he were forced into it, as with Majora's case, or if he wanted something in return. What did you offer him?" Ganson frowned.

"Free access to Gerudo Valley without penalty." Nabooru's eye twitched.

"You did what?"

"Calm down. He can't do anything anyway. That would be considered an evil act, and he'd return to the Sacred Realm in the blink of an eye. Gerudo Valley is in no danger. If he did try anything, I'd take care of it."

"You'd better, otherwise I'll have your head on a silver platter."

"Could we not argue about this at the table?" asked Zelda. Ganson and Nabooru sighed.

"Sorry," they apologized at the same time. The king chuckled.

"I swear, you two act like a married couple sometimes," the king stated. Ganson and Nabooru blinked in surprise, then quickly turned their heads away from each other, a hint of pink on each of their cheeks. The king grinned at the two, then looked at the butler who brought in the drinks. He served Link first, then got around to everyone else. The king nodded to the butler, then picked up his drink. "How about a toast?"

"To what, Your Majesty?" asked Link. The king looked at Link, thought for a moment, then smiled.

"To your safe return, of course." Link smiled slightly, then lifted his drink, the others at the table following his gesture. "And to Ganson and Nabooru not tearing each other apart at the table."

"Hey!" shouted Ganson. Everyone laughed, then tapped each other's glasses, drinking their beverages. After finishing their drinks, everyone stood up. The king made his way over to Link and gently placed an arm around his shoulders.

"You feeling okay, son?" Link nodded slightly.

"Yeah," Link replied. He blinked a few times, trying to fix his blurring vision. He started having trouble keeping his eyes open and felt light headed. "I just…feel a bit…dizzy…" He then closes his eyes and passed out, leaning back into the king's arm around his shoulders. The king then scooped Link up into his arms. Zelda placed a hand on Nabooru's shoulder and smiled at her.

"Thank you, Nabooru," she thanked. "Now we can figure out what that thing is on his neck and remove it." Nabooru nodded.

"Not a problem, Princess," spoke Nabooru. "Thank Ganson for giving me the idea."

"Wait a minute," butted in Ganson. "How did I give you the idea? What did you do to him?"

"You said he was a light sleeper, so I decided to slip something into his drink to knock him out. He'll be awake in a few hours, so we don't have much time." Ganson nodded slightly, then looked at Zelda and the king.

"Your Majesty, could you take him to my room? Zelda can take care of it from there."

"Why your room?" asked the king.

"When he wakes up, I don't want him to start freaking out if he wakes up in the infirmary. He's going to be staying in my room anyway until Darrel is dealt with." The king nodded, then headed upstairs with Link in his arms, Zelda and Impa following behind him. Ganson turned to Nabooru, then rubbed the back of his neck. Nabooru grinned.

"Admit it, Highness," chuckled Nabooru. "I did good back there."

"You did. And I want to thank you for everything that you're doing for my brother."

"Who says it's just for your brother?" Ganson blinked, his face turning a little red. Nabooru's face turned slightly red as well, but she quickly composes herself. "What I meant was that, well, you're his brother and everything. And, well, you'd be all depressed if something else happened to him because of our inaction. You know what I'm getting at?" Ganson laughed slightly, then nodded, smiling at her.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The king gently lay Link down on Ganson's bed, then backed away from the bed. He turned around and saw Ganson and Nabooru enter the room. Zelda nodded to them, then walked over to Link. She gently placed her hand on his chin and turned his head a bit so she could see where the thing was on Link's neck. Her eyes widened a little once she found a small, pulsating, purple crystal on the left side of his neck.

"Zelda, what is it?" asked the king. Zelda looked at him.

"It's a sort of tracking spell," she explained. "Instead of tracking his location, it tracks his bodily readings, like when he's asleep, eating, injured, or even if there are people around him."

"So that's what Link meant," interrupted Ganson. Impa looked at him.

"What are you talking about?" questioned Impa.

"When he left the infirmary, he said that Darrel was after him and always seemed to catch him off guard. He said he didn't feel comfortable sleeping. Now I know why."

"He won't have to worry about that for much longer," spoke Zelda. "I know a spell that can remove this. I'll need everyone to be quiet, though, so I can concentrate." Everyone nodded, then took a step backwards. Zelda placed her hand over the pulsating crystal and closed her eyes. Her hand began to glow with a light blue aura. She spoke in ancient Hylian, then lifted her hand, the crystal's pulse quickly dying, then ceasing. She showed the crystal to the others. "This crystal is no longer a threat. It's just like any other stone. Link is safe."

"For now," exclaimed Ganson, taking the crystal into his hand. He looked at it with disgust.

"Darrel will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants," explained the king. "He has, is, and always will be a stubborn man." Ganson clenched his fists with the crystal in it, then slammed it onto the ground and stomped on it with his foot, reducing it to mere dust and pebbles. The king placed a hand on Ganson's shoulder. "Try to calm down, Ganson. Getting angry will do nothing to help. Darrel will be stopped."

"Do you remember what Ventra said before she died? She said that you and Darrel would reunite with swords for the life of The One. Link is that one, which means something else is going to happen to my brother. She was telling us the future."

"The future is never set in stone," explained Impa. "We can change the future. We'll do all that we can to make sure that Darrel is caught and taken care of, and that Link is safe." Ganson looked at Link, then nodded slowly, calming down. "We should leave and let Link sleep."

"I'm staying here," announced Ganson. "I promised him that I'd watch over him as he slept." The king nodded, then walked out of the room, Impa following behind. Nabooru walked to the doorway, looked over her shoulder at Ganson, then walked out of the room completely. Ganson turned around and looked at Princess Zelda, who sat on Link's bed next to him. She gently placed a delicate hand on Link's cheek and turned his head so it faced the ceiling once more. Ganson walked over to her and looked at her, placing a hand on her shoulder gently. She looked up at him. Ganson smiled at her. "Thank you…for everything."

"Link's my best friend," she explained with a slight smile. "I want to protect him, too. He protected me all those years ago and rescued me from Ganondorf's countless times, and has even rescued me from Majora." At that moment, Link stirred slightly, then slowly opened his eyes. Zelda and Ganson quickly looked at him, then smiled. Link sat up and looked around, then looked at the two, rubbing his head.

"What happened?" asked Link. "Why did I get so dizzy all of a sudden?"

"Nabooru slipped something into your drink to knock you out while Zelda removed that thing from your neck," explained Ganson. Link blinked, looked at Zelda, then smiled.

"Thank you. I feel a lot better now that that thing is gone." Link's smile then faded as he lowered his eyes. "Darrel said as he put the crystal on my neck, 'Even if you escape, I will hunt you down and find you, no matter what. I will find you when you least expect it and when you are alone. I will watch you day and night, wherever you go, whatever you do, whomever you speak with, and when the time is right, you, your friends, and Hyrule shall be mine.'" Zelda frowned worriedly.

"We'll watch over you as well, Link," explained Zelda. "We won't let anything happen to you. Not because you're the Hero of Time, not because you're the Triforce Guardian, but because you're our friend and family." Link smiled.

"The feeling's mutual."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

With Ganson watching over him all night, Link slept a dreamless, peaceful sleep. He woke up at dawn the next morning and sat up in bed, looking at his older brother, sitting next to the bed in a chair, ready to fall asleep at any moment. Link smiled and shook his brother, brining him to attention. Ganson snapped out of it and looked at Link, smiling.

"Sleep well, Link?" asked Ganson tiredly. Link nodded.

"I did, thanks to you," replied Link. "Now it looks like it's your turn to get some sleep."

"Nah, I'm fine. I'll be wide awake after breakfast."

"Go ahead and crawl into bed. I'll bring some breakfast up to you so you can get some rest." Ganson blinked.

"But what about your arm?"

"It's fine. It's just my shoulder that's injured, not my whole arm. As long as I don't live anything heavy and keep it in a sling, it's good. It's a good thing Hylians heal quickly." Ganson smiled, then nodded.

"Okay. I'll see you in a bit then." Link smiled, nodded, then headed downstairs. Ganson yawned tiredly, crawled into bed, pulled the covers over himself, then slowly fell asleep as he rested his head onto his pillow.

_Ganson was walking through Gerudo Fortress in the middle of the day, waving and greeting the other Gerudos. He walked into the throne room of the fortress and sat down in his throne. He picked up some papers and began to thumb through them._

"_Another good day, Your Majesty?" asked a male voice. Ganson looked up and grinned._

"_Hey there, Little Brother," he replied. He stood up and walked over to Link. The two embraced in a brotherly hug. Ganson then took out a dagger and stabbed Link in the back with it, causing Link to cry out loudly in pain. Ganson's eyes widened as he quickly stepped away from Link. Link collapsed onto his knees and looked at Ganson with hurtful eyes._

"_Why…?" Link's lifeless body then fell forward onto the ground. Ganson looked fearfully at Link's body, then at the bloody dagger in his hand. He quickly tossed it away and backed away from it, backing into a mirror. He quickly turned around and looked at his reflection in it. He was garbed in Ganondorf's outfit, his reflection laughing menacingly back at him. Ganson's cackling reflection then turned into Darrel laughing._

"_You're becoming more like your father everyday, Ganson Dragmire," laughed Darrel. Darrel's image then turned into Ganondorf's image. Ganson's eyes widened in horror as he looked at his father._

"_I knew you'd live up to my expectations, son," cackled Ganondorf. Ganson then turned around and saw the bodies of his friends lying by Link's corpse; The king, Zelda, Impa, and Nabooru. Tears started flowing down Ganson's cheeks as he screamed at the top of his lungs, the evil laughter overpowering his cries._

"Ganson! Ganson, wake up!" shouted Link as he shook his screaming brother. Ganson quickly sat up wide-eyed and looked around, sweat beading on his face. His hard breathing started subsiding as he grew aware of where he was. He was back in his bedroom in the castle, in his bed. He looked at Link in surprise.

"Link! You're alive!" Ganson shouted. He went to hug him, but then stopped himself, remembering his dream.

"Ganson, calm down. You just had a nightmare, that's all. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I…no. I'm fine. It's nothing. I'm going back to sleep." Link frowned, then nodded.

"I'll watch over you while you sleep, in case you get another nightmare." Ganson quickly shook his head.

"No, don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Are you su—"

"Yes." Link sighed, then stood up.

"All right then. I'll see you later when you're up." Ganson nodded, then watched Link leave the room. Ganson sighed and leaned against his pillows, looking at the palm of his shaking right hand, frowning.


End file.
